


Welcome Back, Shiro

by ATourofMind



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gen, Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro Friendship, Post Kuron, Post S6, S6 Spoilers, So you're getting it, did y'all want this? cuz I did, snippit from a Voltron roadtrip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 03:36:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15282726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATourofMind/pseuds/ATourofMind
Summary: You wouldn't think that saving the universe necessitated a cross-country road trip, and yet here they were:  slushies and slim-jims and farmers' tans and, maybe, just a little bit of healing.





	Welcome Back, Shiro

**Author's Note:**

> Yup, so here's something nobody asked for. You know how it goes when something sticks in your head.

You wouldn’t think that saving the universe necessitated a cross country road trip in a beat up old station wagon but, well, they were Paladins of Voltron: wacky shenanigans were part of the job.

The destruction of the castleship left Team Voltron reeling, but not directionless. They headed for Earth as fast as their Lions could carry them, but Earth’s new defense system didn’t yet recognize friend from foe. Sam Holt had apparently been busy, and the Galaxy Garrison quickly made contact. Through a series of tense and reluctant negotiations, Team Voltron gained permission not only to land on Earth, but to begin work on their new ship. In exchange Earth gained access to a wealth of new technology.

However willing the Galaxy Garrison was to lend assistance to their new allies, they were clearly unable to supply all the materials necessary for the castleship’s construction. While Lance and Keith traveled to the nearest Balmera for crystals, it was agreed that the rest of the Paladins would remain behind and search for what materials could be found on Earth. And as the Garrison had deemed the entirety of Earth a no-fly zone for alien spacecraft, Pidge latched onto the idea of a road trip with no one able to dissuade her.

Thus Pidge and Shiro found themselves hopping from gas station to gas station, overindulging on Jack Links and slushees. So far they had not run into the world’s largest ball of twine, nor had they seen the world’s largest beer. It was mostly rock and dead grass and the occasional smattering of wind turbines. Hunk’s newly fashioned Voltron-Geiger counter ticked away, leading them closer to their quarry between greasy cheeseburgers and Pidge tinkering with new designs for Shiro’s prosthetic. As far as cross country road trips went, theirs was surprisingly sanguine.

The weather was pleasantly warm, which was something to enjoy after the vacuum of space and the nothingness of a Lion’s consciousness. They wore tank tops and shorts and laughed at the simple joy of sweating in a good wind.

One particular night Shiro suggested they forego the motel. It took very little to convince Pidge to lay with him on the roof of the car and stare at familiar stars again. They scootched together, Shiro’s one hand behind his head, and Pidge nestled on his shoulder for a pillow. They’d been silent for a while when Pidge glanced over and something caught her eye. The glint of Shiro’s prosthetic port winked in sharp contrast to the night around them, and Pidge had a moment. The words fell out before she could stop them.

“It’s kind of funny.”

“Hm? What is?”

Her heart beat quick, when she realized she’d spoken, hitched and fluttering in her throat.

“Katie?”

“Perspective,” she blurted, “I mean, all these stars, right? We’ve flown between most of them, landed on their planets, saved their people and yet…we look at them here and they’re…old.”

Shiro shifted, glancing down at her then back to the stars.

“The light’s old,” Pidge continued, her voice gaining courage and momentum, “thousands of light-years old. And the constellations they taught us to navigate by here on Earth are old, passed down for thousands of years and yet completely useless once you actually get out there. I dunno, it’s just—”

“Perspective,” Shiro supplied, the warmth of understanding in his tone.

“Yeah.”

Starlight filled the moonless night, and Pidge looked up to see Shiro in shades of blue. The white of his hair practically glowed. Her heart thumped forcefully. There was a point to all this.

“I’m kind of glad,” she whispered. “I mean, I hate it, that it went on for so long, that we didn’t…but, I’m kind of glad.”

Shiro didn’t need to see her face to hear the guilt. It came from everyone eventually.

“It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault. He was me—my DNA, my memories, just twisted to make Voltron do what Hagar wanted.”

“Yeah, but—” Pidge stopped herself. She knew it was a canned response. Allura had talked with him for ages trying to puzzle out what sort of alchemy the witch had used. Cornering him in fuzzy, foreign memories was the last thing she wanted.

He sighed and her heart sank.

“It’s fine, Pidg—”

“I didn’t like him.”

She’d spoken before thinking, desperate to escape his disappointment.

“Not that I don’t like you! I do! I just, I didn’t like him! Which was annoying and..and weird and kind of painful. It’s stupid, I guess, I mean, how would I know? He looked like you, he sounded like you, he had the same memories, said things you would say, but he…he was harder than you. More, ‘Let’s go, Team!’ and all. Not that that’s bad! Or that you’re not motivating or—crap.”

Shiro chuckled at her without thinking. It gave Pidge strength to continue. She had a point to make.

“It’s just—you’re warm and kind and good humored. He said the same things, but he got on my nerves in ways you don’t and I just…I’m glad,” she finally said, and threw her arm over his chest to squeeze him close, mumbling into his chest “I swear I’m not trying to make it sound like I knew, cuz I didn’t. I’m just glad the witch got it wrong. I’m glad Black saved your soul.”

Shiro’s throat grew tight.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

Silence stretched but Pidge held on. She heard the quick beating of his heart and the air rush through his lungs, heard him swallow and struggle for some sort of silent control until eventually his arm moved and he seemed to give up.

His skin was warm against her back. She felt every tremor that danced through his fingers as they landed on her waist, and Shiro hugged her fiercely. His body trembled, but he spoke into her hair and the voice was steady.

“It’s good to be back.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for any and all con-crit, or even just letting me know you stopped by. Take care of yourself.


End file.
